More than 6,000 laptop devices were distributed the week of March 30 to Cherry Creek School District families in need, allowing students to keep from falling behind as online class becomes the norm during the statewide school closure.

The district scheduled two more distribution days the next week for families who weren't available the first week. In all, roughly 7,000 laptop devices will be provided.

“We're thrilled to get these devices into our students' hands so they can continue to learn and pursue their pathway of purpose,” Jason Koenig, chief information officer for the district, said in a news release. “We're in this together and we'll get through this together.”

Families picked up the computers at drive-through distribution events throughout the district, capping off the district's gargantuan task of turning a traditional school system into online programs in the face of a crisis driven by COVID-19, the disease caused by a widespread coronavirus.

In less than a week, staff from across the district collected, cleaned and distributed the laptops. The district sent out a survey via text and email to identify families in need of technology.

For more information on the district's online learning — including affordable internet access and the Student Dell Startup Guide for the laptops — visit www.cherrycreekschools.org/Page/12162 and see the menu on the left under “remote learning.”

Cherry Creek School District, along with districts across the Denver metro area, will remain closed to in-person classes for the remainder of the school year, districts announced in a joint letter April 3.

Two days earlier, Gov. Jared Polis extended Colorado's statewide school closure through April 30. His executive order that suspends in-person classes for all public and private P-12 schools was initially scheduled to end April 17.

"This difficult decision was made to protect the health and well-being of our students, staff, families and community," Superintendent Scott Siegfried wrote in a letter to the community April 3. "It was made after consultation with our board of education, local and state public health agencies and other metro area school districts.

"We will continue to focus on and refine our remote learning system," he wrote, "to ensure that all of our 55,000 learners are receiving high-quality educational experiences through the end of the school year."